Subsoil aerator for depositing and detonating explosive pellets

ABSTRACT

A subsoil aerator including a plurality of subsoil penetrating teeth mounted on a ground-engaging roller and arranged to penetrate the subsoil as the roller progresses across the ground. The teeth are hollow and are pivoted on the roller, so that as they swing out of a radial position with respect to the roller, the bottom of the tooth is opened to drop an explosive pellet into the hole made by the tooth. A magazine for the explosive pellets is positioned within the roller and dispenses a single explosive pellet to each tooth as it penetrates the ground. A following roller, also carrying pivoted teeth, is coupled to the first roller so that the teeth of the second roller penetrate the same hole made by the teeth of the first roller. The teeth of the second roller, on penetrating the same hole, comes in contact with the explosive pellet in the hole and causes the pellet to explode. Elevatable ground-engaging wheels are provided for moving the aerator from place to place.

United States Patent Fennell 1 Feb. 13, 1973 [54] SUBSOIL AERATOR FOR DEPOSITING 1,424,723 8/1922 Knight et a1. ..111 & AND DETONATING EXPLOSIVE 1,929,300 10 1933 Atkinson ..47/4s.s PELLETS Primary Examiner-Robert E. Bagwlll [76] Inventor: Joseph W. Fennell, R. F. D., Philipp, Assistant Examiner cl Ham.

MISS 38950 Attorney--Berman, Davidson and Herman [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1971 57 ABSTRACT [21] App]. No.: 185,565 1 A subsoil aerator including a plurality of subsoil penetrating teeth mounted on a ground-engaging [52] roller and arranged to penetrate the subsoil as the l 299/13 roller progresses across the ground. The teeth are hollow and are pivoted on the roller, so that as they swing Q 9 out of a radial position with respect to the roller, the 5 162/22 5 bottom of the tooth is opened to drop an explosive A. zzl/ls 238 277 pellet into the hole made by the tooth. A magazine for the explosive pellets is positioned within the roller and dispenses a single explosive pellet to each tooth as it [56] References Cited penetrates the ground. A following roller, also carry- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing pivoted teeth, is coupled to the first roller so that the teeth of the second roller penetrate the same hole 2x332 made by the teeth of the first roller. The teeth of the ay or second roller, on penetrating the same hole, comes in 1,053,235 2/1913 Sparks ..1l1/90 1,362,409 12/1920 Parker 172/21 contact w1th the explosive pellet in the hole and 2,690'145 9 4 Romain 1 1 9 causes the pellet to explode. Elevatable ground engag- 3,511,539 5/1970 Guenter ..299/13 ing wheels are provided for moving the aerator from 3.626,804 12/1971 Paramythioti. .....89/1 A place to place. 1,241,123 9/1917 Johnson ...221/185 1,315,416 9/1919 Rindfleisch ..221/264 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 62 /Z j /7 /7 A5 I V I o l PATENIEDFEB13 I975 3,716,005

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PAIENIEUFEB 13 1973 3.716 005 SHEET 3 or 4 SUBSOIL AERATOR FOR DEPOSITING AND DETONATING EXPLOSIVE PELLETS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to aerators and more particularly to aerators which implant an explosive charge in the ground and then explode the explosive charge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aerator includes a frame having a pair of parallel ground-engaging rollers journaled in the frame. The forward roller has ground-penetrating teeth pivotally secured thereto. The teeth are hollow, with the point of the tooth being hinged to open as the tooth is withdrawn from the ground, to deposit an explosive pellet in the hole made by the tooth. Solid teeth are hingedly mounted on the second roller and the rollers are interconnected so as to cause the teeth on the second roller to penetrate the same hole formed by the teeth of the first roller. The teeth of the second roller contact the explosive pellet in the hole, causing it to detonate and aerate the soil.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a subsoil aerator for implanting an explosive pellet and then exploding the explosive pellet.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 3 ofa single tooth;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a soil aerator constructed in accordance with the invention.

The aerator 10 includes a frame 11 having a hitch 12 secured to the forward end thereof for attaching the aerator 10 to a tractor vehicle. A shaft 13 extends transversely thereacross and is rigidly mounted in the frame 11 adjacent the forward end thereof. A second shaft 14 extends transversely across the frame 11 parallel to the shaft 13 and is similarly rigidly mounted in the frame 1 1. A plurality of crank arms 15 are journaled on each end of each of the shafts 13, 14 with each of the arms 15 having a ground-engaging wheel 16 journaled on its outer end. A hydraulic cylinder 17 has one end connected to the frame 11 and the opposite end connected to the inner end of the crank arm 15, so that the wheels 16 may be lowered with respect to the frame 11, to raise the aerator 10 out of contact with the ground for transport from place to place.

A cylinder generally indicated at 18 has opposite end walls 19, 20 journaled on the shaft 13 to permit free rotation of the cylinder 18 thereabout. The cylinder 18 has outer ground-engaging portions 21, 22 and a center ground-engaging portion 23. The ground-engaging portions 21, 23 are separated by a reduced diameter portion 24 and the ground-engaging portions 22, 23 are separated by a reduced diameter portion 25.

The cylinder 18 is hollow with ballast material 26 surrounding the hollow central portion thereof.

An explosive pellet tank 27 is positioned in the central portion of the cylinder 18 and is rigidly secured to the shaft 13 by U-bolts 28. The explosive pellet container 27 has a neck 29 which extends upwardly toward the periphery of the ground-engaging portion 23 of the cylinder 18 terminating at an access opening 30 in the ground-engaging portion 23. A screw cover 31, in the container 27 and the ground-engaging portion 23, is removable and permits the explosive pellet container 27 to be filled. The explosive pellet container 27 has a pair of spaced apart hopper bottom portions 32, 33 formed thereon to assist in the dispensing of explosive pellets therefrom.

The hopper bottom 32 has a dispensing fitting 34 on its lower end through which a slide valve 35 reciprocates. The slide valve 35 extends substantially from end to end of the cylinder 18 to engage cam members 36 on the end wall 19 at one end of the slide valve 35 and cam members 37 on the end wall 20 at the opposite end of the slide valve 35. The slide valve 35 has a bore 38 extending therethrough which is adapted to align with the bottom of the hopper 32, when at one end of its travel through engagement with the cams 37, and to align with a dispensing neck 39, when at the opposite end of its travel where it has been moved by cam 36.

A flexible trap door 40 is secured at 41 to the neck 39 and closes the open end of the neck 39. A cam 42 on the inner face of the reduced diameter portion 25 of the cylinder 18 presses the flexible trap door 40 open as it moves thereby for reasons to be assigned.

A plurality of necks 43 extend outwardly of the reduced diameter portion 25 with each neck having a flexible conduit 44 secured thereabout and extending outwardly therefrom. A pair of ears 45 are formed on the reduced diameter portion 25 adjacent each of the necks 43 to carry a pivot pin 46 extending thereacross. A conical hollow tooth 47 is pivotally mounted on each of the pivot pins 46 so as to surround the outer ends of the flexible conduits 44 as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The conical hollow tooth 47 has a point 48 secured thereto by a pivot pin 49. A flexible rod 50 extends through a bore 51 in the tooth 47 and has its lower end engaged in a slot 52 in the upper end of the point 48 opposite the pivot 49. The rod 50 extends upwardly through a pocket 53 formed in the upper end portion of the hollow tooth 47. A coil spring 55 encompasses the upper end of the rod 50 and engages at its lower end the bottom of the pocket 53. A crank member 56 is secured to the upper end of the rod 50 and engages the upper end of the spring 55. The upper end of the crank member 56 carries a roller 58 journaled thereon for engagement with the cylinder 18 so, that as the cylinder 18 rotates, gravity will cause the teeth 47 to pivot about the pivots 46, assuming the positions illustrated in FIG. 3. The rod 50 will, with the roller 58, press against the cylinder 25, causing the point 48 to pivot on the pivot 49 to thus open the bottom end of the tooth 47 to p er mit an explosive pellet to drop therethrough. V '7 As the cylinder 18 rotates, the teeth 47 will penetrate the ground and the earns 36, 37 will reciprocate the valve plate 35 to cause a single pellet to fall from the pellet container 27 through the neck 43, conduit 44, into the tooth 47. As the tooth 47 is withdrawn from the ground, it moves by gravity to the position illustrated in the right in FIG. 3, and the point 48 is moved on the pivot 49 to permit the pellet within the tube 47 to drop therefrom into the hole made by the tooth 47.

The end wall of the cylinder 18 has a chain sprocket 59 secured thereto for reasons to be assigned.

A cylinder, generally indicated at 60, has end walls 61, 62 which are journaled'on the shaft 14 in the same manner as the cylinder 18 is journaled on the shaft 13. The cylinder 60 has ground-engaging portions 63, 64 and 65 which are separated by reduced diameter portions 66, 67, respectively. The cylinder 60 is filled with ballast 68 and the end wall 62 is provided with a chain sprocket 69. A drive chain 70 is trained over the sprocket 59 and the sprocket 69 to maintain the timing of the cylinder 60 identical to the timing of the cylinder 18. The reduced diameter portions 66, 67 have a plurality of ears 71 mounted thereon and extending outwardly therefrom. Each pair of ears 71 has a pivot pin 72 mounted therein and extending transversely thereof. A solid conical tooth 73 is mounted on each of the pivot pins 72 between a pair of ears 71 to permit the teeth 73 to pivot thereabout as the cylinder 60. rotates.

As the aerator 10 is moved across the ground, each of the teeth 73 will drop into the opening 74 left by one of the teeth 47 and will engage the explosive pellet deposited in the bottom of the openings 74, causing the pellet to explode and fracture the surrounding ground.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A soil aerator comprising a frame, a ground-engaging cylinder journaled in said frame and extending transversely thereacross, a plurality of hollow teeth pivotally secured in cireumferentially spaced relation to said cylinder and extending radially outwardly therefrom to penetrate the soil and form a hole therein, means in said cylinder for dispensing a single explosive pellet through one of said teeth into the hole as the cylinder travels over the soil, means on said teeth to deposit a pellet in said hole, a second ground-engaging cylinder journaled in said frame rearwardly of said first cylinder and parallel thereto, a plurality of teeth pivotally secured on said second cylinder and spaced identically to'the teeth on said first cylinder, means connecting said cylinders to maintain their respective circumferential relation, with said last-named means causing the teeth of said second cylinder to move into the holes made by the teeth of said first cylinder and detonate the explosive pellet deposited therein as the aerator travels over the ground.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first cylinder is provided with reduced diameter portions and said teeth are pivotally secured to said cylinder at the reduced diameter portions.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second cylinder is provided with reduced diameter portions and the pivotal connection of said teeth with said second cylinder is in said reduced diameter portions.

4. A device'as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rigid axle is fixedly secured to said frame and extends transversely thereacross and said first cylinder is journaled on said axle for rotation thereabout.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for dispensing an individual explosive pellet through each of the teeth of said first cylinder includes an explosive pellet hopper rigidly mounted on said axle within said first cylinder, a dispensing valve extending through said hopper, and means on said first cylinder engageable with said dispensing valve for actuating said dispensing valve to dispense a single pellet as each tooth on said first cylinder penetrates the ground.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said hollow teeth on said first cylinder includes as the means for depositing a pellet a point pivotally secured to the outer end thereof and means extending between said first cylinder and said point through said hollow tooth for pivoting said point to open the outer end of said hollow tooth, permitting the explosive pellet in said hollow tooth to be discharged therefrom.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for pivoting said point includes a rod extending from said point to said first-named cylinder. 

1. A soil aerator comprising a frame, a ground-engaging cylinder journaled in said frame and extending transversely thereacross, a plurality of hollow teeth pivotally secured in circumferentially spaced relation to said cylinder and extending radially outwardly therefrom to penetrate the soil and form a hole therein, means in said cylinder for dispensing a single explosive pellet through one of said teeth into the hole as the cylinder travels over the soil, means on said teeth to deposit a pellet in said hole, a second ground-engaging cylinder journaled in said frame rearwardly of said first cylinder and parallel thereto, a plurality of teeth pivotally secured on said second cylinder and spaced identically to the teeth on said first cylinder, means connecting said cylinders to maintain their respective circumferential relation, with said last-named means causing the teeth of said second cylinder to move into the holes made by the teeth of said first cylinder and detonate the explosive pellet deposited therein as the aerator travels over the ground.
 1. A soil aerator comprising a frame, a ground-engaging cylinder journaled in said frame and extending transversely thereacross, a plurality of hollow teeth pivotally secured in circumferentially spaced relation to said cylinder and extending radially outwardly therefrom to penetrate the soil and form a hole therein, means in said cylinder for dispensing a single explosive pellet through one of said teeth into the hole as the cylinder travels over the soil, means on said teeth to deposit a pellet in said hole, a second ground-engaging cylinder journaled in said frame rearwardly of said first cylinder and parallel thereto, a plurality of teeth pivotally secured on said second cylinder and spaced identically to the teeth on said first cylinder, means connecting said cylinders to maintain their respective circumferential relation, with said last-named means causing the teeth of said second cylinder to move into the holes made by the teeth of said first cylinder and detonate the explosive pellet deposited therein as the aerator travels over the ground.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first cylinder is providEd with reduced diameter portions and said teeth are pivotally secured to said cylinder at the reduced diameter portions.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second cylinder is provided with reduced diameter portions and the pivotal connection of said teeth with said second cylinder is in said reduced diameter portions.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rigid axle is fixedly secured to said frame and extends transversely thereacross and said first cylinder is journaled on said axle for rotation thereabout.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for dispensing an individual explosive pellet through each of the teeth of said first cylinder includes an explosive pellet hopper rigidly mounted on said axle within said first cylinder, a dispensing valve extending through said hopper, and means on said first cylinder engageable with said dispensing valve for actuating said dispensing valve to dispense a single pellet as each tooth on said first cylinder penetrates the ground.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said hollow teeth on said first cylinder includes as the means for depositing a pellet a point pivotally secured to the outer end thereof and means extending between said first cylinder and said point through said hollow tooth for pivoting said point to open the outer end of said hollow tooth, permitting the explosive pellet in said hollow tooth to be discharged therefrom. 